PJD Link not dead – Selangor state gov’t says project still being reviewed, new SIA must be conducted
It just won’t go away, will it? The Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) that many PJ folks are against is reportedly still on the cards, despite communications minister Fahmi Fadzil having said in April that the project had been discontinued as the developer had failed to meet certain requirements, The Star and the New Straits Times reports.
The latest on the on-and-off project is that it is still in the list of seven highway projects under consideration in Selangor. This was indicated by state infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Izham Hashim during the state assembly sitting yesterday, when he addressed Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran’s (PH-DAP) question on new highways that were in the pipeline.
He said that the state government had been asked by the federal administration to review the PJD Link project after the concessionaire made improvements to at least five areas along the proposed highway.
“The PJD Link developer has made some changes to the alignment in Petaling Jaya, based on the social impact assessment (SIA) and objections from the public. The new alignment will be discussed at the Selangor economic action council meeting,” Izham said, stating that most of the objections to the project were from PJ residents.
“The developer has proposed a mitigation plan based on the objections received. The new alignment needs to be studied again and a new SIA must be conducted with the affected people before it is presented to the state and federal government for consideration,” he added.
“This is the condition that we have imposed on the concessionaire of the highway project. They must engage and get feedback from the affected people residing in the areas where changes and improvements were made for the proposed construction of the highway through the SIA. We want to know if the people accept the changes and improvements made,” Izham explained.
The project, estimated to cost more than RM2 billion, was initially cancelled in July last year, and then said to be open to revival in the future should it meet requirements. It is aimed at connecting Damansara to Bandar Kinrara, effectively linking the north and south of Petaling Jaya, and reducing the travel time between these two points by 25%.
What do think of the project? Should it be implemented? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
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